conway



(ModeL) TRAP.

Patented Aug. 26, 1884-.

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liars STATES I ATENT trier...

ANDREW J. OONWVAY, OF BELLEVILLE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO- HIMSELF AND EDl/VARD XV. WVEST, JR, QF SAME PLACE.

TRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 304,177, dated August 26, 1884.

Application filed April '28, 1884.

{[0 1. whom it may concern.- I Be it known that I, ANDREW J. CONWAY, of Belleville, in the county of St. Clair and State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Trap, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to provide a new and improved trap which can be readily adjusted for catching rats and mice, or for catching moles.

The invention consists of the combinations of parts and their construction, substantially as hereinafter fully set forth and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved trap, showing it adjusted for catching moles. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same, showing it adjusted for catching rats and mice.

On abuse-plate, A, astandard, B, is hinged, the said standard being provided with a longitudinal groove, (1, in each side edge, with a recess or notch, B, in the bottom edge, and a recess or notch, B, in the top. A notch, 2), extends downward and from the base of the notch B in the top edge of the standard.

Brace-rods O,having hook ends, are hinged to the back of the standard, and the said hook ends are passed through staples or eyes 0 on the top of the base, when the standard is erected for the purpose of holding the standard in place. A longitudinal slot, D, is formed in the base-plate, and that part of the slot in front of the standard is surrounded by a serrated strip or ridge, E, projecting upward from the upper surface of the base-plate. A triggerlever, F, is pivoted in the slot D, and on the upper surface of the end, in front of the standard B, a corkscrew-wire, G, or other suitable device for holding bait is secured. At the opposite end the trigger-lever is provided with upwardly-projecting slightly-inclined flanges H H, of which the latter is farther from the end of the lever F than the former. A spring, J, is secured on the rear end part of the top of the base-p1ate,which spring is provided with two powerful spring-arms, J, projecting toward the front of the plate A and at the sides (ModeL) of the standard. A U-shaped wire-frame, K, has the ends K of its prongs pointed or sharpened, and at the closed end the frame K is provided with acurved part, L, projecting from the plane of the frame at right angles to the same. At each end of the curved part L the wire is bent to form a projection, M. A short distance from the part L, toward the pointed ends of the prongs, the prongs are bent to form eyes or loops N,in which atransverse wire,O, is hung,which is provided at its middle with a bend, O. A short distance from the loops N the prongs of the frame K are bent K is slipped on the standard B in such a manner that the prongs of the frame K pass into the grooves a, the prongs projecting downward. The frame is raised, the wire 0 passed over the arm S, and the lower end of the'wire Q placed on the rear end of the trigger-lever F and against one of the flanges H H. The weight of the lever F holds it against the end of the wire Q. The free ends of the spring-arms J are placed on the shoulders P. The trap is placed on the ground over the moles furrow, the free end of the trigger-leverF resting on the ground. If the mole passes under the free end of the said trigger-lever, the trigger-lever is raised and the opposite end is lowered,th us releasing the end of the rod 0 and permitting the spring-arms J to force the frame K- downward, whereby the prongs will be forced through the mole. If the trap is to be used for catching rats and mice, the frame K is inverted, as shown in Fig. 2, and the free ends of the springarms J are placed on the projections M. The frame K is raised and the trap set in the manner described, and the bait is secured on the bait-wire G. WVhen a rat or mouse nibbles on the bait, it pulls it and the free end of the lever Fupward, thereby releasing the frame K, which is forced downward by. the spring-arms J. The part L strikes the back or neck of the mouse or rat and forces it down upon the serrated ridge or strip E, whereby the animal is killed.

The trap'is more sensitive if the end of the wire Q is placed against the flange H.

The trap can be folded very compactly when not in use.

Having thus fully described myinvention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In an animal-trap, the combination, with a standard, of the wire frame K, held to slide on the same, and provided with pointed or sharpened prongs, the part L, the loops N, the shoulders P, and the projections M, the spring J J, means for holding the frame K raised, and means for releasing it, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. In an animal-trap, the combination, with the base A, of the standard B, hinged on the same, the sliding frame K, the spring J J, the wire 0, hung in the frame K, the wire Q,

a hinged in the top of the standard, and the trigger-lever F,hung in the slot D in the base A, substantially as herein shown and described.

3. In a trap, the sliding reversible frame having the pointed arms connected thereto by laterally-bent portions, said frame also having a curved part at one end and loops intertion bearing upon the base of the trap and with arms bearing upon said lateral shoulders, and means to hold said frame elevated, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a trap, the frame held to slide upon its support and having laterally-offset pointed arms and loops near one end, in combination with the bent bar or yoke with its ends connected to said loops, the spring having a bearing upon the trap-base and upon the offsets or shoulders of said frame, and the bar with its upper end projecting beneath said yoke and its lower end. engaging with one end of the trigger, the free end of the latter resting upon the ground, substantially as set forth.

ANDRE? J. CONWAY.

\Vitnesses:

R. M. OANDEE, FRED. VoLZ. 

